🧹IODD TRIM Tool

IODD TRIM Tool is a universal TRIM utility that improves SSD write speeds for any external USB drive.

Version: 0.2.0.4 Platform: Windows 64-bit License: Freeware


1. Overview

The IODD TRIM Tool is a Windows-exclusive application designed to send TRIM commands to external SSDs connected via a USB-SATA bridge.

circle-check

While Windows automatically performs TRIM on internal SATA/NVMe SSDs, this automatic function does not work for external SSDs connected through a USB bridge. This tool is designed to maintain the performance and extend the lifespan of such external SSDs.

📥 Download

Key Features

  • 3-Step TRIM Strategy: Automatic fallback from DSM TRIM → SCSI UNMAP → ATA Pass-Through.

  • BOT/UASP Support: BOT prioritizes ATA Pass-Through, while UASP prioritizes SCSI UNMAP.

  • Full Device TRIM: Sends TRIM commands to the entire SSD area.

  • Free Space Only TRIM: Performs TRIM only on empty space, preserving existing files.

  • Real Test: Verifies if TRIM is actually working by performing a file write/delete/verify sequence.

  • Write Speed Chart: Records speeds at 2-second intervals during the Real Test and displays them on a time-series chart.

  • Drive Inspection: Provides detailed information on disk partitions, volumes, and free space.

  • Dry Run Mode: Simulates the process without sending actual TRIM commands.

  • Read-only Drive Detection: Automatically disables file output when run on a read-only drive.

  • 8 Languages Supported: Korean, English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German, French, and Russian.

🚀 Quick Start Guide

  1. Select your device from the dropdown menu at the top.

  2. Choose a TRIM Mode:

    • Full Device TRIM: Completely wipes the SSD. ALL data will be permanently deleted. Use this only when initializing a new or repurposed drive.

    • Free Space Only TRIM: Only trims the unused empty space. Your existing files remain safe. Use this to optimize performance on a drive you are currently using.

  3. Click the Start button to execute TRIM.


2. System Requirements

Item
Requirement

OS

Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)

Privileges

Administrator privileges required (needed for SCSI Pass-Through)

Connection

SSD connected via a USB-SATA bridge

Protocol

Supports both BOT (Bulk-Only Transport) and UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol)

triangle-exclamation

3. What is TRIM?

TRIM is an ATA command (DATA SET MANAGEMENT, 0x06) that tells the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use.

Benefits of TRIM

  • Maintains Write Performance: Pre-emptively secures empty blocks to prevent write speed degradation.

  • Extends SSD Lifespan: Reduces unnecessary write/erase cycles, minimizing NAND wear.

  • Consistent Response Times: Maintains stable performance even after long periods of use.

  • Efficient Space Management: Optimizes the SSD controller's internal garbage collection.

When should you use TRIM?

  • After deleting a large number of files.

  • When the SSD's write speed has noticeably slowed down.

  • After using a USB external SSD for a long time without TRIM.

  • When the OS does not support automatic TRIM for USB-connected SSDs.


4. UI Layout

The app consists of a top toolbar and 3 main tabs.


5. Top Toolbar

Button
Function

IODD Products

Opens the IODD product page (Amazon) in your browser.

IODD Manual

Opens the IODD help site (help.iodd.kr) in your browser.

Usage

Displays a usage guide popup.

License

Displays a popup with freeware license information.

TRIM Info

Displays a popup explaining the benefits and timing of TRIM.

Language Selection

Changes the app's UI language (dropdown on the top right).


6. Execute TRIM Tab

This is the main tab where you send TRIM commands to the selected disk.

6.1 Disk Selection

Select the target disk from the dropdown menu at the top. Each item displays the following information:

  • PD Number: Physical Drive number

  • Model Name: SSD model

  • Capacity: Total disk capacity (GiB)

  • Protocol: BOT (ATA Pass-Through) / UAS (SCSI UNMAP) / Non-USB

  • Volume: Drive letter + File system

  • TRIM Support: TRIM:YES / TRIM:NO / APT:N/A

You can rescan the disk list using the Refresh button.

6.2 Disk Info Memo

When a disk is selected, detailed information appears in the memo box below:

  • Model, Serial, Capacity, Transfer Protocol

  • Volume info (File system, Cluster size, Offset, Partition length in GiB)

  • ATA Pass-Through support status

  • TRIM Capable status

  • ATA Model, Firmware info

6.3 TRIM Mode

Mode
Description

Full Device TRIM

Sends TRIM to the entire disk. ALL data will be permanently deleted.

Free Space Only

Trims only the empty space on the file system. Existing files are preserved.

triangle-exclamation

6.4 TRIM Transmission Methods

Depending on the disk's protocol, a 3-step automatic fallback strategy is applied:

Order
Method
Description

1

DSM TRIM

Windows Native TRIM (Attempted while the volume is mounted)

2

SCSI UNMAP

For UASP devices. Attempted after Volume Lock/Dismount if DSM TRIM fails

3

ATA Pass-Through

Default for BOT devices. Final fallback if SCSI UNMAP fails

  • BOT Devices: Directly sends via ATA Pass-Through.

  • UASP Devices: Attempts DSM TRIM → SCSI UNMAP → ATA Pass-Through in order.

  • SCSI UNMAP attempts multi-descriptor mode first, then switches to single-descriptor mode if rejected.

6.5 Options

Option
Description
Default

Dry Run

Simulates the operation without sending actual TRIM commands.

OFF

Flush Volumes

Flushes the volume buffers before performing TRIM.

ON

Init after TRIM

Initializes the disk to GPT/MBR after TRIM is complete.

None

6.6 Advanced Settings

Checking the Show Advanced Settings box reveals additional options:

Setting
Description
Default

Timeout (ms)

SCSI timeout duration for each TRIM batch.

5,000ms

Retry

Number of retries upon failure.

3

Batch Entries

Number of TRIM ranges to send at once.

32

Batch Limit

Maximum number of batches (1, 10, 100, All).

All

Allow System Disk

Allows TRIM on the OS system disk.

OFF

Mask Serial

Masks the serial number in logs.

ON

6.7 Execution

  1. Select the disk.

  2. Select the TRIM mode.

  3. Click the Start button.

  4. Verify by entering the disk number in the warning confirmation dialog.

  5. The progress will be shown on the progress bar and status bar.

  6. A success/failure popup will appear upon completion.

You can immediately stop an ongoing TRIM by clicking the Cancel button.

6.8 USB Notice

You can view guidance regarding the USB bridge device's protocol:

  • BOT: Sends TRIM via ATA Pass-Through.

  • UASP: Sends TRIM via SCSI UNMAP (falls back to ATA Pass-Through if failed).

If TRIM fails:

  1. Unplug and reconnect the device directly.

  2. Try changing the USB hub or cable.

  3. Refresh and check the Transport protocol.


7. Drive Inspect Tab

Investigates detailed partition and volume information of the selected disk.

Features

  • Run Inspection: Retrieves detailed volume information for the selected disk.

  • Export Free Space CSV: Outputs the free space ranges as a CSV file.

Displayed Information — Summary

  • Disk model, size (GiB + total sectors), number of volumes, list of file systems

  • Total space, free space, used space (bytes / clusters / sectors / ratio)

  • Additional info: Transport protocol, BusHint

  • Number of free fragments, Free sectors, Free GiB, Last used LBA

Displayed Information — Volume Grid

Column
Description

Drive

Drive letter

FS

File system (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc.)

Partition#

Partition number

Style

Partition style (GPT / MBR)

Type

Partition type

Sec/Cluster

Sectors per cluster

Total Sectors

Total number of sectors

Size (GB)

Capacity (GB)

Free Sectors

Free sectors count (Ratio %)

Used Sectors

Used sectors count (Ratio %)

Physical Start Sector

Physical starting sector

Partition Length Sectors

Partition length (sectors)

Cluster Bytes

Cluster size (bytes)


8. Real Test Tab

Verifies whether TRIM is actually functioning on the SSD through a file write/delete/verify process.

circle-info

Note: It is not mandatory to run the Real Test for standard TRIM usage. This feature is intended to verify if the USB bridge controller and this software properly execute TRIM on your specific SSD. If verification is needed, running it once is sufficient. The time required depends on the disk capacity and USB speed, taking approximately 6 hours for a 1TB SSD.

8.1 Test Procedure (STEP 1~4)

Step
Action
Description

STEP 1

TRIM + Fill Files

First executes Free-space TRIM, then fills 1/3 of the remaining capacity with 500MB random files.

STEP 2

Delete + TRIM

Deletes 1 in every 10 files → Flushes → Extracts Free Space CSV → Performs Free-space TRIM.

STEP 3

Additional Fill

Fills the remaining capacity with 1GB random files (leaving about 1GB of free space).

STEP 4

Integrity Verify

Verifies the CRC integrity of the 500MB files.

In STEP 1, TRIM is executed before creating files to ensure the SSD starts the test in an optimal write performance state.

8.2 Options

Option
Description

Start Step

The step number to start from (1~4).

End Step

The step number to end at (1~4).

Target Drive

Select the logical drive to use for the Real Test.

Wait on Drop

Wait time (minutes) if write speed drops below 50% of the moving average. Set to 0 to disable.

8.3 Sudden Speed Drop Detection

If the SSD cache is exhausted during writing, the speed may drop sharply. This feature:

  • Tracks the average speed based on an EMA (Exponential Moving Average).

  • If the 2-second interval speed drops to 50% or less of the moving average, it pauses for the set duration.

  • Speed is recorded as 0 while waiting, and automatically resumes afterward.

8.4 Buttons

Button
Function

Start

Begins the entire test (STEP 1~4). A confirmation popup appears before starting.

Verify Only

Only verifies the CRC integrity of existing files (corresponds to STEP 4).

Stop

Immediately halts the ongoing test.

Delete Test Folder

Deletes the temporary files/folders used for the test.

Export FileMap

Exports the physical location map of the test files as a CSV.

Speed Chart

Displays the time-series write speed chart of the last test (enabled after completion).

Clear Log

Clears the log and redisplays the instructional message.

8.5 Write Speed Chart

Clicking the Speed Chart button after a test is completed displays a time-series line chart:

  • X-axis: Elapsed time, Y-axis: Write speed (MB/s).

  • Speed data measured at 2-second intervals is shown as a blue line.

  • Dotted lines mark the boundaries of each STEP, allowing you to see performance changes per stage at a glance.

  • Waiting periods are recorded as 0 speed.

  • You can save the data as a CSV file using the Save CSV button.

8.6 Status Display

  • Status: The currently executing step.

  • Speed: Real-time write speed (2-second interval average, MB/s).

  • Elapsed: Total elapsed time (updates every second).

  • Step: Elapsed time for the current step (updates every second).

8.7 TRIM Result Log

After each TRIM execution, the results are output to the log:

8.8 Test Completion

Upon completion, a success/failure popup appears:

  • Success: If all file CRCs match, it means TRIM is functioning correctly.

  • Failure: If a CRC mismatch occurs, there may be data corruption after TRIM.

  • Cancelled: If the user pressed the Stop button.


9. Multilingual Support

You can change the language from the dropdown in the top right corner of the app. The OS language is automatically detected and set as the default.

Language
Display Name

Korean

한국어

English

English

Japanese

日本語

Simplified Chinese

简体中文

Spanish

Español

German

Deutsch

French

Français

Russian

Русский


10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

chevron-rightQ: TRIM fails on a UASP device.hashtag

On UASP devices, the tool automatically tries DSM TRIM → SCSI UNMAP → ATA Pass-Through in order. If all fail:

  1. Try unplugging the device and reconnecting it directly.

  2. Try changing the USB hub or cable.

  3. Some USB bridges simply do not support TRIM commands.

chevron-rightQ: It says ATA Pass-Through is not supported.hashtag

This happens when the USB bridge controller does not support ATA Pass-Through. However, if connected via UASP, TRIM is transmitted via SCSI UNMAP, so TRIM might still be possible even without ATA Pass-Through.

chevron-rightQ: It displays TRIM:NO.hashtag

This means ATA Pass-Through is supported, but the SSD itself does not support TRIM. This happens with very old SSDs or traditional HDDs. TRIM is a command exclusively for SSDs.

chevron-rightQ: Free Space Only TRIM fails with a "No free-space bitmap ranges available" error.hashtag

This occurs when the file system bitmap cannot be read. Ensure that you are using a supported file system (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT).

chevron-rightQ: The disk is not recognized after a Full Device TRIM.hashtag

After a full TRIM, the partition table may be deleted. If you set the Init after TRIM option to GPT or MBR, it will automatically initialize the disk afterward.

chevron-rightQ: I am getting an error even though I ran it with Administrator privileges.hashtag

Some antivirus software may block SCSI Pass-Through commands. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus and run it again.

chevron-rightQ: [WARN] DSM TRIM winerr=1 appears in the log.hashtag

This is normal behavior. The USB bridge does not support Windows DSM TRIM, so it automatically fell back to SCSI UNMAP. As long as the final TRIM is successful, there is no issue.

chevron-rightQ: [WARN] SCSI UNMAP winerr=1117 appears in the log.hashtag

This is normal behavior. The bridge rejected multiple descriptors, so it automatically switched to single-descriptor mode. As long as the final TRIM is successful, there is no issue.

chevron-rightQ: The Speed Chart button is disabled.hashtag

Speed data is only collected after running the Real Test at least once. The button becomes enabled after a test is completed.


11. Troubleshooting

Symptom
Cause
Solution

Disk does not appear in list

Bad USB cable or not connected

Check USB connection and refresh

"Admin Privileges Required" error

Ran with standard user rights

Right-click app → "Run as Administrator"

APT:N/A displayed

USB bridge lacks ATA command support

Handled automatically via SCSI UNMAP if UASP

TRIM batch failed

Timeout or bridge compatibility issue

Increase timeout value, decrease batch size

DSM TRIM winerr=5

Attempted while volume is dismounted

Automatic fallback will handle it (Normal)

SCSI UNMAP winerr=5

Attempted while volume is mounted

Retries automatically after Lock/Dismount (Normal)

CRC mismatch in Real Test

Data area corrupted after TRIM

Possible bridge/SSD compatibility issue

Wait on Drop doesn't trigger

Wait time is set to 0

Set the wait on drop value to 1 or higher

CSV/Log files are not created

Ran on a read-only drive

Run from a writable drive


12. License

The IODD TRIM Tool is Freeware.

  • Anyone can use it for free, and it may be freely copied and distributed.

  • This software is provided "AS IS".

  • Commercial sales are strictly prohibited.

  • The developer assumes no responsibility for any damages, including data loss, resulting from the use of this software.

  • Reverse engineering, decompiling, and source code extraction are prohibited.

Copyright (c) 2025-2026 IODD. All rights reserved.


This manual is based on IODD TRIM Tool v0.2.0.4.

Last updated